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Bristol Cycling Development Squad joins forces with Great Weston Ride

Bristol Cycling Development Squad (BCDS), one of the West Country’s leading youth-oriented cycling clubs, has joined forces with this year’s and will be providing a range of support services for the 2012 edition of this spectacular city-to-coast challenge bike ride.

The Great Weston Ride is a popular and fast-growing 56-mile cycling challenge that takes participants on a wonderful journey through the Mendips and across the Somerset Levels before finishing on the seafront in Weston-super-Mare, and experienced BCDS members and volunteers will be on hand throughout the day this year providing a range of important services, including marshalling and other duties, to ensure that riders have the best possible experience and a real day to remember.

The Ride appeals to and attracts cyclists of all abilities, including a significant number of first-time challenge riders, and the support services provided on the day are designed to provide participants with every possible assistance along the way. BCDS club chairman, Jeff Coast, commented: “We’re delighted as a club to be involved and associated with the Great Weston Ride – it’s a fabulous event, and it shares our goal of providing and promoting great cycling experiences. Several of us have taken part in the event in the past so we know what a great ride it is, and we’re very pleased to be able to use the experience within the club to add another dimension to what is already a terrific event”.

BCDS was established in 2003 specifically to promote and encourage cycling in the Bristol and North Somerset areas - and in particular to provide quality cycle coaching and racing opportunities for young people in the area – and the majority of the club’s current 60-strong membership is under 18 years of age.

Darren McKimm, organiser of the Great Weston Ride, commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to have BCDS on board as one of our key supporters – it’s yet another great West Country partnership for the Ride, and the cycle event experience that the club brings will be a great asset to the Ride. BCDS is all about promoting and encouraging cycling in all its forms, particularly for young people, and as part of the club’s commitment to British Cycling’s ‘Go Ride’ initiative we’re actually also discussing ways in which we might be able to build a fun participation element for youngsters into this year’s Ride.....so watch this space!”

The intention is that BCDS will bring a new feature to the Ride this year in the form of some fun Go-Ride racing sessions for young novice riders waiting at the finish of this year’s event, and these sessions will be available free to any youngsters who want to take part. Finally, it’s also worth noting that the Great Weston Ride has a strong charity fundraising dimension, and the Ride has already helped to raise significant sums of money - in 2011 alone riders raised £22,000 for the Ride’s official charity partner, The Prostate Cancer Charity, and well over £30,000 in total across a range of different charities. Further information, and details on how to enter the 2012 Ride, can be found at www.greatwestonride.com.